About Vellore Fort

Vellore Fort is located in the center of Vellore City, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The Vijayanagara dynasty built this fort, which served as one of their headquarters at the time. The fort is famous for its fortress, wide moat, and sturdy masonry. It overlooks the amazing mountain range in front of it, as well as the parks and water below. The fort includes the Jalakanteshwara temple, the Government museum, Periyar Park, St. John’s Church, Tipu and Haider Mahal, and a mosque.

History of Vellore Fort

With a total area of 133 acres, the Vellore fort was unique at the time, with a deep wet canal where 10,000 crocodiles once swarmed, ready to pounce on an intruder into this impregnable. The granite fort has massive double walls with irregular bastions that can accommodate two carts side by side.

In sequence, Vijayanagara rulers, Bijapur sultans, Marathas, Carnatic Nawabs, and finally the British occupied the fort. The massacre of the Vijayanagara family of Sriranga Raya took place in the fort. During British rule, the fort detained Tipu Sultan’s family as well as Sri Lanka’s last king, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. In 1806 it also saw the first significant military rebellion against the British. It was the center of the Vellore Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Vellore Mutiny. Currently, ASI manages the museum within the fort.

Vellore Fort Complex

Government Museum

The Department of Museums of Tamil Nadu looks after the multi-purpose Government museum. Its treasures include ancient and modern collections related to anthropology, botany, geology, numismatics, zoology, sculptures, and history. There are pictorial representations of the events that led to the Vellore Mutiny in the entrance hall. The left side of the hall houses collections of anthropology, botany, geology, zoology, ancient coins, and other items.

On the right side of the main hall, there is a collection of various sculptures, history, and historical monuments from the former composite North Arcot district. Outside the museum, there is a large dinosaur mural. Further, there are charts that display basic information about the earth and science. Some of the ruined sculptures are also on display. The museum is open daily from 9 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, with an entry fee of only 5 rupees.

Periyar Park

The park within the Vellore Fort is also known as Periyar Park. It almost completely encircles the fort. It has many gardens as well as a small and large playground. The park’s trees are another notable feature. Especially the trees’ long and wide roots. Only by looking at its roots, we can tell that it has been planted for a long time. Even in the afternoons, the shade and breeze provided by these tall and large trees will keep you cool.

Jalakanteshwara Temple

Legend and Architecture of Jalakanteshwara Temple

The Jalakanteshwara temple honors Lord Shiva. Jalam means water in Tamil, and the name Jalakanteshwara translates as Lord Shiva residing in water. Legend has it that a giant anthill once stood where the temple’s sanctum sanctorum now stands. Because of the rainwater collection, this ant hill was surrounded by water, and people worshipped Shiva Linga in the water. Chinna Bommi Nayaka, a Vijayanagara chieftain in charge of the fort at the time, had a dream in which Lord Shiva asked him to construct the temple housing the Shiva Linga. So, in 1550 CE, he demolished the ant-hill and constructed this temple. The goddess Sri Akhilandeshwari represents Jalakandeshwara’s consort in the temple. The complex contains shrines of Nataraja, Ganesha, Srinivasa, Subramanya, Nagalinga, Shani Dev, and Navagraha.

This temple is well-known for its intricate carvings. With its richly carved pillars, tall gopurams with fine carvings, large floral pattern wooden gates, and stunning sculptures, Jalakanteshwara temple is a fine example of Vijayanagara architecture. The main shrine is located in the middle of a water tank, and the water forms a garland around it. Water for abhisheka is drawn from an ancient well known as Ganga Gowri Teertham. The temple area also has a yagashala and a small stepped tank. The temple has a stone mandapa with pillars carved in the shapes of horses, dragons, lions, or yalis. This structure is similar to Kanchipuram’s Ekambaranathar and Varadaraja Perumal temples. Inside the temple wedding hall, there is a two-faced sculpture of a bull and an elephant.

Historical Background

During the Muslim invasion and capture of the Vellore fort, this temple was mutilated. For nearly 400 years, it served as an arsenal. The main deity of the temple was relocated to the Jalakanda Vinayaka temple in Sathuvacheri for safekeeping. The ASI took over the fort in 1921, but the temple was no longer a place for worship without a deity. Locals, on the other hand, secretly reinstalled the deity inside the temple in 1981 and later reinstated worship.

St. John’s Church

During the British period, men from the East India Company military station and the Government of Madras built the church in 1846. It is one of the oldest churches in the Vellore Diocese. ASI manages it. Despite the fact that there was no official consecration, it is popular as St. John’s Church.

How to reach Vellore Fort

From Bangalore

Vellore is about 211 km from Bangalore.

By Road

Bike/Car:

• The quickest route from Bangalore to Vellore takes you through Hosur and Krishnagiri. It will take almost 4 hours.
• You can also travel through Hoskote, Kolar, Palamaner, and Chittoor. This route will also take roughly 4 hours.

Bus:

• There are numerous buses available from Bangalore to Vellore. It will take nearly four and a half hours to get there.

By Rail

• The cheapest option is to take a train from Bangalore to Vellore. Trains will take nearly 6 hours.

By Air

• There are no airports in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu.
• The closest airport to Vellore is Chennai International Airport, which is 143 km away. Bangalore International Airport, located approximately 211 km away, is the next closest airport. From there, you can take a taxi or a bus.

Travel Tips

• Vellore Fort is open from 8 am to 6 pm. There is no entry fee to visit the fort.
• It is better to visit the fort in the winter season as the area will be too hot during summer. You can make a stop at this fort on the way to Chennai or Kanchipuram. Also, you can plan a day trip to Vellore and visit this fort and Sri Narayani golden temple.
• There is a large parking lot to park your vehicles. You can park the vehicles on the roadside inside the fort or inside the park opposite Jalakanteshwara temple.
• Be cautious when climbing to the top of the moat.
• Washrooms are available inside the Vellore Fort. Drinking water facilities are also available.
• Food items are not restricted, so pack a picnic and spend the day with family and friends. Please, however, do not leave litter.
• There is only one vegetarian hotel near the fort, which is extremely crowded during lunchtime. We heard it is quite a well-known hotel in the area. So if you are a vegetarian planning to have lunch near the fort, it is the only available option. I would suggest packing your lunch from somewhere along the way and having it in any of the parks inside the fort leisurely.
• There are plenty of options for a stay near the Vellore city area. You will get both the lodge and room stay near Vellore to suit all preferences.

Overall, it is a nice place to spend a one-day picnic with family or to make a stop to learn and understand the history of Vellore Fort.